ZAP MAMA featuring MICHAEL FRANTI / “Poetry Man” (King Britt Mix)

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It was Black Ice who first brought Phoebe Snow’s version of “Poetry Man” to me on cassette and, without telling all of my business, I’ve connected with the autobiographical nature of it ever since. 🙂

I have loved my fair share of linguistically-gifted menfolk and I also appreciate storytelling that doesn’t trip all over itself in apology. Sometimes our passions and obsessions don’t fit neatly into moral categories. Sometimes the timing isn’t quite right or we give in to someone or something that we shouldn’t, depending on who’s doing the judging. But if the love is powerfully real, it sure gives you a hell of a lot to write and sing about.

I remember listening to the Snow version in my early childhood but never reallys studied the lyrical content of it. It is a very pretty song. I could take or leave the Zap Mama version, althought the remix is okay. My favorite Zap Mama song to date is Bandy Bandy…I can’t get enough of that song.

I’ve enjoyed both versions, though it is hard to keep them in my possession. They seem to have a way of being given away or acquiring legs… you know what I mean. Last Labor Day weekend, a friend came up to visit, brought along another friend — there were up here for dance classes — and after they discovered my old scratched up Phoebe Snow LP, that was the end: they put it on repeat (the old fashioned way, scratching the record some more each time as they searched for the beginning of the track) and that’s all they listened to for the rest of the weekend. I was glad to share it with them. Thanks for sharing this with one and all.

This version is, like the original, amazing. But this one is far more sensual. I cranked it up on the radio while driving when I heard it. Michael Franti’s voice is like velvet against Zap Mama’s silks. Fantastic!